EFFECTS OF RISING OIL PRICES

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15 February 2007

Hudghton (Greens/EFA) - The high cost of oil has significant adverse effects on businesses and families in Scotland, where there is still substantial dependence upon road transportation of goods and passengers, due to a lack of realistic alternatives in large areas of rural Scotland, and due to the distances involved in transporting goods to mainland European markets. The situation in Scotland is worsened by the fact that the UK Government imposes very high taxation levels on road fuels, further disadvantaging Scots traders and travellers. I supported the Dos Santos report, which rightly identifies the need to prioritise development of renewable energy sources and improving energy efficiency. Scotland has considerable potential to contribute to such developments. We also have in Scotland a significant offshore oil and gas resources, and it is essential that we maintain a set of economic circumstances which will encourage exploration and full extraction of that resource. My belief is that an independent Scottish government would ensure that all of Scotland's energy resource potential can be maximised.